New Final Rule on Personal Protective Equipment in Construction

New Final Rule on Personal Protective Equipment in Construction

New Final Rule on Personal Protective Equipment in Construction Protects Workers in Puerto Rico.

In December, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced it had finalized a revision to the personal protective equipment (PPE) standard for construction. It went into effect on January 13 of this year and requires all PPE to properly fit any construction worker who needs it.

According to OSHA:
Many types of personal protective equipment must be sized to fit a worker properly. Improperly sized PPE can be ineffective in protecting workers; create new hazards for the worker, such as oversized gloves or protective clothing being caught in machinery; and discourage use because of discomfort or poor fit.

The matter has been a longstanding industry safety concern, particularly among some women as well as among physically smaller or larger workers.

“The Puerto Rico Occupational Safety and Health Administration (PR OSHA) is one of 29 OSHA-approved State Plans that are required to have standards and enforcement programs that are at least as effective as OSHA’s and may have different or more stringent requirements,” said Harry Pena, President of Zimmetry Environmental. “This change to the construction standard aligns it with the existing standard for general industry and is good news for construction workers on the islands.

At Zimmetry, we are also here to help protect construction workers. We offer industrial hygiene and environmental, health, and safety testing, training, and consulting services.

This includes personal protective equipment expertise for a wide range of safety equipment, including respirator fit-testing and training services for the construction industry. These resources help to safeguard workers and to keep employers in regulatory compliance with PR OSHA standards.”